The present invention relates to a picture frame, suitable for use in framing photographs, paintings, and the like. The present invention relates, in particular, to a picture frame assembly which can releasably secure a picture unit within the picture frame assembly and thereafter allow replacement of the original picture unit with a new picture unit with improved ease and effectiveness.
Picture frames are well known in the art. Wooden frames generally hold a picture unit with brads or small nails which are pounded into the back of the frame to securely hold the picture unit within the frame for display. Metal frames may have metal tabs on the back of the frame for securing a picture unit within the metal frame.
The picture unit will include the image sheet which is to be displayed plus a backing sheet or a backing board. Some picture units will also include matting which provides a clean border of white or another solid (single) color in order to border and thus emphasize the image sheet being displayed. In some cases more than one matting sheet may be used in contrasting colors. The image sheet being displayed may be a photograph, painting, water color, print, poster and the like.
In addition, the picture frame may hold a pane of glass which covers the picture unit for protection. The glass keeps the image sheet free from atmospheric dust and free from dirt or oil such as is normally found on the hands of a viewer of the picture unit or a person handling the framed picture unit.
It is often desired to replace the picture unit within the frame with a new picture unit. For wooden frames, this is accomplished by removing the brads or nails. For metal frames this is accomplished by bending the metal tabs up and away from the backing sheet or backing board of the picture unit. After the new picture unit is put in place in a wooden frame, brads or nails are pounded back into the wooden frame to secure the picture unit in place. After the picture unit is put in place in a metal frame, the tabs of the metal frame are bent downwardly against the backing sheet or board to secure the picture unit within the frame.
A disadvantage within wooden frames is that pounding brads or nails into the wood is tedious and often leads to bent nails or brads and bruised thumbs when the tack hammer strikes the nail obliquely or misses the nail completely to strike the user's hand. A disadvantage with metal frames having metal tabs is that bending the metal tabs to change the picture unit cold works the metal and makes it brittle. Accordingly, metal tabs may soon break off and the frame will thereby eventually become unusable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a picture frame which does not require the use of brads or nails.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a picture frame which does not require metal tabs for holding a picture in place.
It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an improved picture frame which is capable of releasably securing a picture unit in a manner which makes replacement of the picture unit within the frame quick and easy with a minimum of effort.
These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof, will be readily ascertained from the disclosure which follows.